The state-run publication Global Times reported that China Broadnet, the country's fourth-largest telecom supplier, has countrywide coverage with its 5G network. According to the report, China Broadnet officially started providing 5G network services to companies in the Xizang Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province, extending its 5G services to all 31 provincial-level regions.
China Broadnet Has Spectrum in the 700 MHz Range, Which Has Better Coverage Than Higher Bands
Previously, China Mobile had obtained 160 MHz in the 2.6 GHz band and 100 MHz in the 4.9 GHz band, while China Telecom and China Unicom had each previously acquired 100 megahertz in the 3.5 GHz band. By installing approximately 500,000 700 MHz 5G base stations, nearly all of China's territories might be accessible to 5G networks. To attain statewide 5G network coverage for the 3.5 GHz spectrum, providers must install many more ground stations, independent telecom expert Xiang Ligang told Global Times.
After obtaining permission for commercial 5G services in 2019, the operator, who currently offers cable services, officially launched as the fourth operator in the nation in 2020. Before changing its brand name, the company went by the name China Broadcasting Network. In June, China Broadnet initially announced its 5G services. The 700 MHz band of spectrum is owned by China Broadnet. China Mobile, the nation's biggest carrier, is said to control the 5G infrastructure that China Broadnet will purportedly employ. In an attempt to construct a joint 5G network, China Broadnet and China Mobile announced last year that they planned to first deploy 400,000 5G base stations. The company has previously stated intentions to partner with China Mobile to roll out a national 700 MHz 5G network in May 2020.
China Mobile has agreed to provide China Broadnet with access to its 2.6 GHz network in compensation for advice and financial support. China Broadnet will have access to China Mobile's 2G, 4G, and 5G infrastructure before the introduction of the 700 MHz networks, and China Mobile will share its 2.6 GHz network on a paid basis
Local news agency Xinhua stated that statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed that Chinese mobile operators have already installed more than 2.1 million 5G base stations across the nation (MIIT). According to the MIIT, there were 19.8% of all mobile base stations in China were 5G base stations as of the end of August, a jump of 5.5 percentage points from the same time last year. The ministry forecasts that during the first eight months of this year, local mobile providers built 677,000 5G base stations in total. The most recent data available from the carriers shows that Chinese operators added 26.2 million new 5G users in the past month.
